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As 2025 draws to a close, former Indian cricketer and commentator Abhinav Mukund has revealed his ‘Best Test XI’ for the year. Mukund’s selection highlights the standout performers from major series like the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and the ongoing Ashes, while making the bold choice of South African skipper Temba Bavuma to lead the side.
Abhinav Mukund’s Test XI of 2025
Stylish top order
Mukund opted for a right-left opening combination, pairing India’s KL Rahul with England’s Ben Duckett. Rahul was the top Test run-scorer among openers and a Champions Trophy winner, while Duckett made significant contributions with big centuries in both Test and ODI formats. Rahul had a stellar year across formats, notably becoming the opener with the most runs in Test cricket in 2025, scoring 625 runs by October. He also played a pivotal role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title win.
Duckett was a key player for England across all formats. He set a record for the highest individual score in the ICC Champions Trophy history with 165 runs against Australia in February 2025, a record later broken. In the Test series against India, he scored a brilliant 149 in the first Test win at Headingley.
At number three, Mukund named his captain, Bavuma. Bavuma had an exceptional year as both a batter and captain, most notably leading South Africa to a historic victory in the 2025 ICC World Test Championship final against Australia. As a batter, he maintained an outstanding Test average of 60.50 for the year and played crucial innings in South Africa’s first Test series win in India in 25 years.
Middle order dominance
The middle order features the year’s most consistent run-scorers. England’s Joe Root, India’s Shubman Gill and Australia’s Alex Carey. The Indian star concluded the year as the highest international run-scorer across all formats, while Root ended as the top ODI run-scorer and second-highest Test run-scorer of all time.
Gill amassed 1,764 runs across 35 international matches in 2025, with an average of 49.00 including seven hundreds and three half-centuries. He had an outstanding Test series against England, scoring 754 runs with four centuries, including a highest score of 269, to be named joint Player of the Series. Despite his red-ball and 50-over success, he was dropped from the T20I squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup due to poor T20I form.
Root finished the year as the leading ODI run-scorer with 808 runs at an average of 57.71. In Test cricket, he surpassed Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer of all time. Root scored 1,598 international runs at an average of 57.07 across all formats in 2025.
Carey enjoyed a “red-hot” year in Test cricket, finishing as Australia’s highest run-scorer in the format with an average over 51.61. He scored two Test centuries, including a maiden Ashes ton at his home ground in Adelaide. His work behind the stumps, particularly in the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, earned widespread acclaim, with some hailing him as the best wicketkeeper in the world.
Dynamic bowling attack
The bowling attack is spearheaded by Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who etched his name into the record books in 2025. Starc became the first bowler since 1993 to take over 50 wickets in a year with a strike rate under 30 (28.7).The spin department is led by the relentless Ravindra Jadeja, who acted as the side’s premier all-rounder, and South Africa’s Simon Harmer, whose 30 wickets in just four Tests made him an undeniable selection for Mukund. The pace battery is completed by India’s Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah, who combined for nearly 80 wickets during the calendar year.
Abhinav Mukund’s best playing XI of Tests for 2025: KL Rahul, Ben Duckett, Temba Bavuma (c), Joe Root, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Alex Carey (wk), Simon Harmer, Mitchell Starc, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
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